This invention relates to apparatus that will automatically take-up the tolerance or predetermined spacing between adjacent components.
In many assemblies, it is necessary to maintain a space or tolerance between adjacent components of the assembly. These components must be joined with a solid and secure joint while maintaining the required space between the components. For example, the instrument panel assembly, in an automobile, is positioned between the body hinge pillar posts. The door hinges are secured to the pillar post. It is important to maintain the design space between the panel and the post while rigidly attaching the panel to the post for support.
Many mounting systems have been proposed to control the tolerance between the joined adjacent components. The simplest of these systems provides for a spacer to be positioned between the components in surrounding relation with the fastener that secures the components together. While simple and effective, these systems can be difficult to install in many situations and often add assembly time to the product. Other devices, often termed xe2x80x9cautomatic compensatorsxe2x80x9d have evolved. These devices generally include a plethora of parts and may require two or more tools to complete the installation or preadjustment. For example, the spacer control mechanisms shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,288,191; 5,492,388; 5,697,592; 5,340,258 and 4,453,346. Still others involve the use of mating cam structures that have one cam member driven in unison with the fastener and the mating cam structure held stationary with one of the components to be spaced as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,906.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic compensator.
In one aspect of the present invention a turning member is threadably engaged in one of the components with a turning sense or xe2x80x9chandxe2x80x9d opposite to the turning sense of the fasteners that secures the components together. In another aspect of the present invention, the turning component has a left hand thread and the fastener has a right hand thread.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a driver element is positioned to be engaged by the fastener to initiate rotation of the turning element in response to the turning of the fastener. In still another aspect of the present invention, the turning element advances from the one component to engage the other component in response to the rotation of the turning element as induced by the driver element.
In yet still another aspect of the present invention, the driver element or portion is integral with the turning element. In a further aspect of the present invention, the driver element is separate member threadably engaging the fastener and frictionally engaging the turning element. In a yet further aspect of the present invention, the driver element requires a turning torque greater than the turning torque required to rotate the turning element relative to the one component. In a still further aspect of the present invention, the fastener threadably engages both the driver element and the one component.